“How often should we refresh our website?” is a question that is frequently asked by potential, new and existing clients and the answer can vary, though generally it seems that a redesign or revamp should be scheduled for every three or four years. Technology and search engine algorithms change constantly and it’s important that you keep your website up to date with these changes, however styles (the look and feel) change frequently too.

As with anything, there will always be the ‘fad factor’, with some designers wanting to try out new ‘bells and whistles’, but if a site is designed and maintained well it’s often not a massive job to keep your site looking modern, professional and current by making gradual changes at regular intervals. If the thought of commissioning a whole new website seems daunting (from both a financial and time input perspective), a website reskin or revamp might be a good alternative.

Websites tend to change just as businesses and organisations change – what worked or looked good last year might no longer work or look good this or next year – so reviewing your website regularly is really important. One of the biggest issues we see at Expert is how content is added, or worse, not added, to some clients’ MoST sites.  If your site is rarely updated with new content (text and images) your site will slip in Search Engine rankings and no-one will find you unless they’re really determined. If too much content is added and it is not located in the right sections, your site will become cluttered and hard to navigate or search, especially if content that has been superceded, or is no longer relevant, is left to wallow on your site - visitors will quickly give up and go elsewhere to an easier site if they can.

Remember too that your website is your ‘shop window’ and that first impressions count. If it is dated and old it will portray to your visitors that your business is out of touch from the get-go, and will result in negative reactions from existing clients and potential customers.

Here are some key points to keep your website current and relevant

• Effectiveness – use reporting data to learn more about your site visitors. Use analytics tools (such as Google Analytics) to monitor and review your conversion rate
• Search engine ranking – ensure you regularly add or tweak content to your site to keep it being picked up by search engines
• Match your website to your business – update your site to reflect changes in your organisation (products, services, staff changes etc). Evolve your site as your organisation evolves.
• Intuitive navigation – use index pages, order your content logically, make it easy for visitors to find what they’re looking for - it shouldn’t be a treasure hunt without a map!
• Current design trends – don’t clutter your homepage with too much content or unnecessary distractions.  Keep it fresh and crisp. Embed calls to action in the main body of your pages
• Keywords and key phrases – research current search trends and tweak your content to match
• Watch for website compliance changes – new legislation needs to be observed and followed. GDPR regulations came into effect on 25 May 2018 and apply to website owners worldwide (check out our November 2019 ezine for more information on this)

The analogy of a motor car comes to mind when upgrading a website. The initial purchase can be relatively expensive, depending on the make and model chosen, but if the vehicle is well maintained (cleaned and serviced) and is fit for the purpose, it can provide years of happy and trouble-free motoring.  There is always a running cost involved (fuel, registration, servicing and insurance) and the obvious depreciation of course. 

The main reasons we change our cars are because they become unreliable, look outdated, no longer meet our needs or we want to upgrade to a superior model. If we’ve had a good experience, we’re more likely to buy the same make next time, especially as we’re familiar with how it operates and handles, and we are usually confident that there will be no nasty surprises lurking under the bonnet. 

Investing in a website has some parallels. If you keep your website clean and well maintained, know how to use it properly, make regular tweaks (updating content), and undertake an occasional reskin or revamp, it can last you for years and it shouldn’t need a full replacement to a later model until you’re ready (and resourced) to do so.

Either way - reskin, revamp or a total rebuild - Expert will happily discuss your current website and advise you on the best course of action for your individual needs, budget and resource (time) constraints. Email or phone us (04 384 9833) if you’d like to discuss this further.